Donning mechanism for continuous spinning machines



June 1956 J. B, BUSQUETS EI'AL 2,751,746

DONNING MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS SPINNING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 19, 1951 IN V EN TOR. JUAN fiAa/A BUMUEU By P5020 540mm [0464s 7;5 a. dam w.

June 26, 1956 J. B. BUSQUETS ETAL 2,751,746

DONNING MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS SPINNING MACHINES Filed Oct. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JUAN HAD/A BUSLZUETS 6 a M X W 7 Y B AGCA/T United States Patent DONNING MECHANISM FORCONTINUOUS SPINNING MACHINES Juan Badia Bus'quets, Martorell, and Pedro Baulenas Forgas, Sabadell, Spain In continuous spinning machines and other like machines in which, when the tubes are full, the changing thereof for other empty ones must be carried out, this operation is performed by hand, the tubes being changed one by one, which wastes a great deal of labour and represents a considerable loss of time, which has not a little repercussion on production.

With the device which is the object of the present invention, there is obtained by mechanical means the simultaneous removal of all the full cops or of groups thereof and also, in like manner, the placing in position of the empty tubes on the corresponding spindles, this representing a consider-able saving of labour and time in comparison with the usual method of procedure.

In essence, the invention is characterised in that it comprises a number of members for removing the cops and of members for carrying and positioning the empty tubes equal to that of the prongs or spindles with which the machine on which the device is to be mounted is equipped, said members being provided with flexible elements acting in the manner of a spring for the purpose of subjecting the cops to be removed or the empty tubes to be placed in position respectively to pressure, and said members of each kind being capable of being raised or lowered and also turned through 180 together, by means of respective shafts actuated by mechanical means which support them directly or indirectly, in such manner that the centres of the members of either kind coincide with the axis of the respective spindles and so that said members embrace the latter in order to perform their respective functions or are withdrawn therefrom to permit the normal operation of the machine.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the invention by way of non-limitative example. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of the device, and

Figs. 2 to 7 are diagrams of the successive movements of the mechanical elements.

On the frame of the machine there are fixed a suitable number of supports 1 which act as guides for a likewise suitable number of vertical bars 2 which, being situated in front of said frame, are capable of being moved vertically between predetermined limits by the action of pinions 3 engaging with respective toothed racks 4 formed in or connected to the uprights 2, the movement of said uprights being simultaneous and identical owing to the fact that all the pinions 3, which are alike, are fixed on the same shaft 5 operable by means of the crank 6.

The upper portions of said uprights 2 support a horizontal shaft 7 which is disposed in front of the cop rail 8, which shaft, in its turn, carries as many arms 9 as the machine has spindles 10, there being fixed at the end of each arm 9 an annular member or sleeve 11 provided on the inside'with two or more flexible or oscillatory claws 12 acting like springs; said shaft 7, which is operated by means of a handwheel or a lever 13, can

rotate through an angular range of carrying with it the arms 9 and the corresponding annular members 11, which will likewise rotate 180 through the area above the horizontal plane passing through their axis of rotation. When they are not in operation, each annular member or sleeve 11 is disposed in front of its corresponding spindle 1G and its claws 12 are directed downwardly, the distance thereof from the shaft being precisely that required for the centre of each annular member 11 to coincide with the axis of the corresponding spindle when said annular member is in its other end position and the uprights 2 are raised to the maximum, so that when the uprights 2 and, with them, the shaft 7, arms 9 and annular members 11, descend, the latter will embrace the corresponding cops 14 imprisoning the same by the action of the spring claws 12 which, as the uprights 2 and, with them, the annular members 11, rise, are clamped onto the threads of the cop, compelling the latter to rise likewise and be removed from the spindle.

On its rear portion, the frame of the machine also supports a suitable number of other vertical bars 15 capable of being moved vertically and guided in suitable manner, the joint movement of which is likewise achieved by the engagement of similar pinions (not shown in the drawings) with corresponding toothed racks 16; said uprights 15 support a shaft 17 whose axis coincides exactly with the vertical plane containing the axes of the spindles 10; said shaft 17 or a bar 18 connected thereto is the support for as many tube-carrying cartridges 19 as the machine has spindles 10, it being possible to dispose and fix said cartridges in such manner that, when they are in a vertical position, their axis coincides exactly with that of the corresponding spindle. By means of a lever 26 or a handwheel, a limited rotation of 180 can be imparted to the shaft 17, thus determining two end positions for the tube-carrying cartridges, that is to say, with their openings facing upwardly or downwardly; the empty tubes 21 are retained in their corresponding cartridges 19 by their tops, by means of springs 22 or any other suitable means whatsoever which exerts a suitably gentle gn'p, all in appropriate manner so that, when the uprights 15 and, with them, the shaft 17, bar 18 and cartridges 19, descend, each of the latter carrying an empty tube 21 turned with its base facing downwardly, said tube is mounted on its corresponding spindle, the positioning pressures of the various tubes being equalised by the action of a spiral spring 23 provided in the base of each cartridge 19, thus allowing a certain play which compensates, between suitable limits, for the small differences in length which may be exhibited by the empty tubes to be placed in position.

The operation thereof (Figs. 2 to 7) is as follows:

While the cops are being filled (Fig. 2), the movable vertical bars 2 supporting the shaft 7 remain in their lower end position and the arms 9 in a horizontal position, turned towards the outside; at the same time, the movable vertical bars 15 supporting the shaft 17 remain in their upper end position and the cartridges 19 turned with their openings facing upwardly. During this time, the empty tubes 21 are placed in the tube-carrying cartridges (Fig. 3).

Once the tubes are full of yarn, that is to say, the cops have been formed (Fig. 4) and the machine has been stopped, the uprights 2 and, with them, the annular members 11 are caused to rise to the maximum by operating the handwheel or the crank 6 (arrow a); the lever 13 is then operated, causing the arms 9 to rotate 180 (arrow b) and the uprights 2 are caused to descend again (arrow 0) whereby the cops 14 are disposed within the corresponding annular members 11. Thereafter (Fig. 5), the uprights 2 are caused to ascend (arrow d) whereby the spring claws 12 carry the cops with them and, when said uprights are at their upper limit, a rotation of 90 is imparted to the arms 9 (arrow 2) Next (Fig. 6), a rotation of 180 is imparted to the shaft 17, whereby the empty tubes 21 will direct their openings downwardly (arrow 1), and the uprights 15 are causedto descend (arrow g) until the tubes 21 are disposed or mounted on the corresponding spindles.

Finally (Fig. 7), the uprights 15 are caused to ascend .again and, with them, the cartridges 19 which will have left the empty tubes on the spindles, owing to the fact that the latter exert a stronger grip thereon than the springs 22 (arrow 11); the machine can then be set going once'more.' The shaft 17 is then given a turn of 180 (arrow i), the cartridges being disposed with their mouths turned upwardly (Fig. 2), and once the cops held by the annular members 11 have been removed the shaft ,'7 is caused to rotate another 90 (arrow j); with the :descent of the uprights 2, everything is in its original :1'5fand the shafts 7 and 17 may act on all the cops in a row on each side of the machine or only on one half thereof, in which latter case said operating elements will be duplicated at each end of the machine.

In the device such as has been described, the materials constituting the various parts thereof may be any that are suitable and the means employed for mounting said parts, for their mutual connection and for the purpose of each thereof fulfilling its function as has been described may likewise vary.

What we claim is:

A device for simultaneously donning empty tubes on a series of spindles. in continuous spinning machines and the like comprising a horizontal shaft parallel to and above said series of spindles and located in the same vertical plane as said spindles, means for raising and lowering said shaft, means for turning said shaft at least about 180", a series of cartridges secured to said shaft, and at the inside of said cartridges a plurality of clamping elements for resiliently engaging and releasing the tubes for the spindles;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS Muheim June 7, 1904 

